Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The “Honorable Mention” post from last week seemed to be a popular choice, so I’m back this week with another selection of cars we didn’t get a chance to get to. We’ve got one from each major manufacturer this time around which makes for an interesting and diverse group. Which is the one that deserved a better look this time around?
The E39 M5 is certainly the king of the hill when it comes to balanced and clean super sedans. It has enough power to blow the doors off of most sports cars, inherent chassis balance to make twisties fun, enough luxury to make you feel great, and styling that deftly melds classy and aggressive. While the M5 deservedly gets a hefty share of 5-series fandom, the E39 540i approaches many of those capabilities at a fraction of the cost – both up-front and in maintenance. The available 6-speed manual further bolsters its driver’s-car cred, creating a slick executive sedan that chooses subtlety and quiet capability over M-powered and -badged bragging rights.
This beautiful grey example came to our attention thanks to reader John. For sale in Orange County, it has just about every option and has been owned by a “super anal BMW enthusiast.” I’m sure there are plenty of jokes there for BMW haters but we’ll focus on the intent, which is corroborated by beautiful presentation inside and out and with a strong list of maintenance over the last couple of years. The sharp cross-haired, M5-aping M-tech front fascia wasn’t available until 2003, meaning this 540i gets the exceedingly simple narrow oval aperture shared with the lower 525i and 530i. All the better for flying under the radar while the 282hp V8 and 6-speed create plenty of smiles. Perfect Style 32 wheels complete a package that doesn’t stand out but does stand up to the test of time. With a diligent owner and just 107k miles, this can make an outstanding highway commuter for years to come.
Any time I step outside of the 911 market I’m almost always amazed by what else can be had for fairly reasonable prices, even when the other cars themselves are found within escalating markets. I think we’re all familiar with the market for the e30 M3 and how that has gradually dragged values of other similar-era M cars upward. Enter one such car: the e28 M5. There are few cars identified with a particular model segment moreso than the M5 is with the performance saloon. If you want a fast sedan your first thought is probably German and very likely the M5. These were the cars that really got things started and even today they look good and can offer an excellent driving experience. Their proportions are spot-in with a litheness that few modern cars approach and much of the appeal surrounding any of these cars is derived from that pared down aesthetic. They were built with a purpose and with little waste. The example here may provide a litmus test for how much the market for these wonderful machines has been raised: a 1988 BMW M5, located in California, with 94,720 miles on it.
The year was 1994, and BMW brought some pre-production M3s in Dakar Yellow to various tracks around the U.S. to engage their primary target audience; enthusiasts. I still remember seeing them and being both very excited and slightly let down. From a performance standpoint, even in turned-down U.S. form the M3 was a potent small sedan. 240 horsepower was top of the small car market back then and around a track, stock for stock the E36 was easily a match for the outgoing fan-favorite E30. Coupled with an eye-searing color, it was an impressive and modern package that I loved. But I also loved the street-racer aspect of the E30, and that was something that the E36 didn’t capture well….at first. That was remedied later in 1995 with the introduction of the “CSL” version of the E36. Stripped out, available only in Alpine White and with Motorsports GmbH details throughout, the M3 Lightweight channeled both the E9 3.0CSL racers that started the M trend and captured the spirit of the E30 with its giant, adjustable rear wing and splitter. Instantly these began popping up at track events; despite the entire production run of only 126 cars, it wasn’t uncommon in 1995 and 1996 to see 4 or 5 of these special cars turn up and trounce all the other cars with ease. Since new, these limited edition M3s have always held more value than nearly all of the rest of the model run – and as prices of all things M rise, it’s no surprise that it appears the tide is carrying them up as well:
The 1988 BMW 635CSi we featured at the end of last month is back on offer at the same price. For those who love an old shark and must have it equipped with a manual gearbox, read further…
